Planner

Overview

Sojourner Consulting, a new and rapidly growing consultancy, is seeking a Planner to join the team. The role is a valuable opportunity for growth and exposure to significant planning, policy and development issues in the Philadelphia region and nationally, and to contribute to the development of new frameworks for social impact in historically marginalized communities. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter, practical and detail-oriented, with strong design, data analysis and project management skills. They will thrive in a mission-based, start-up setting with project-driven workflows and timelines.

The Planner position will be responsible for design and production management and data analysis. In addition, as Sojourner is a start-up business in a growth phase, the role will support business growth. The Planner will work closely with founder and Principal Sarah Yeung, project partners, and other team members in the following areas:

1. Community Outreach and Data Collection
   Support planning and implementation of stakeholder engagement and data collection efforts such as surveys, focus groups and secondary data gathering, to inform community plans and assessments, and coordinate with partners and manage other staff to carry out data gathering activities
   Conduct data analysis to identify trends, patterns and insights related to community needs, demographics and development opportunities. This will include managing coding processes for qualitative data, and organizing and analyzing demographic, economic and land use data from desktop research and community data collection
   Support the development of clear and compelling data-driven reports and presentations that effectively communicate research findings and recommendations
   Stay up-to-date with best practices, methodologies, and tools for community-based research and data analysis 
2. Design and Production Management
   Manage the design and production process for planning reports and deliverables, ensuring timely completion, adherence to quality standards, and illustration of key concepts and findings (i.e. plans may include charts, infographics and maps, other common deliverables are slide decks and community outreach materials)
   Utilize mapping tools to analyze spatial data and create maps, visualizations and other geographic representations to support planning efforts
   Support the development of design strategies for Sojourner 
3. Support Business Growth
   Identify and contribute to proposals for new opportunities
   Support development of business infrastructure such as marketing, project management tools, business certifications and other needs
   Monitor, develop and integrate new technologies (i.e. generative AI) and methodologies into the Sojourner toolkit 

Essential Qualifications:

• 2-4 years of work experience in a consulting or planning firm, including experience conducting research, data collection, and analysis for community planning projects or similar initiatives
• A well-developed sense of design which is demonstrated in past work, and strong skills in data visualization and communicating complex data insights through reports, presentations, and visualizations
• High proficiency in design software (i.e. Adobe Creative Suite) for layout and graphic design, and proficiency in data analysis tools (Excel)
• Strong analytical, research and critical thinking skills, and familiarity with census data, administrative data sources, and other relevant data sources for community planning.
• Effective communication skills and ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a remote work environment

Useful Qualifications:

• Experience working directly with underserved or marginalized communities, particularly immigrant, refugee, and English Language Learner populations
• Knowledge of planning and community development principles and policies and some specialization in areas such as housing, transportation, environmental planning or economic development
• Proficiency in mapping/modeling software (i.e., ArcGIS)
• Experience with survey design, implementation, and analysis
• Fluency in Chinese or Spanish language is strongly desired 

Location and Terms:

Currently, the Sojourner office is fully remote, however, candidates should expect to work for the first 3-4 months in a hybrid setting to facilitate the onboarding process. Candidates in the Philadelphia region are preferred and would be expected to occasionally travel for in-person meetings and fieldwork in the region. The position requires occasional evening and weekend hours due to community-based events.

The position will be offered for 12 months, at which point it will be reassessed for extension.

The salary range for this position is $55K-65K annually, based on skills and experience. Sojourner provides a competitive package of benefits including PTO, extended holiday break between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, health stipend, professional development stipend and flexible work arrangements.

Please send a brief letter of interest, resume, two writing samples, and a design portfolio of 3-5 previous work samples with a focus on data visualization and layout design to <sarah@sojournerconsulting.co>.

Sojourner Consulting is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce. We strongly encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, including those from immigrant and refugee communities.